The invention relates to coin chutes for vending machines. More particularly, it provides coin chutes that protect vending machines from objects that are jammed or squirted into a vending machine coin entry slot.
Many vending machines have a coin entry slot for the insertion of coins. Vandals or unscrupulous competitors sometimes attempt to disable vending machines by squirting a fluid or inserting objects other than the correct coins into the coin entry slot. These attempts sometimes take the form of paper clips, paper, or the like which are jammed into the coin entry slot to prevent further use of the vending machine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,306,644 and 5,601,177 disclose chutes that provide some protection, especially against fluids squirted in the coin entry slot of a vending machine. They provided a curvilinear coin chute having an open bottom wall that allows fluid to drain off of the coin entry path prior to reaching the coin changer. However, these chutes still had significant problems clearing solid jams.
As such, it can be seen that a need exists for an improved coin chute.